KNAU and Arizona News

Researchers connected with Northern Arizona University have discovered the origins of a strain of anti-biotic resistant staph.

Their new study appeared this week in the on-line journal mbio, published by the American Society of Microbiology..

The bacterium started in humans, moved to animals, then moved back to humans again.

And in the course of its journey, it developed its resistance to antibiotics.

First some basic terms.

Staphylococcus aureus, or staph, is a common bacterium.

It likes warm wet places like our noses and throats.

About 30 % of us carry it.

And it can move between us as innocently as a through a hand shake.

The Arizona Congressional delegation was divided over legislation to extend a payroll tax holiday for millions of average workers. 

The payroll bill wasn’t released publicly until last night and many members studied it until late in the evening. The bill puts around one thousand dollars into the pockets of average workers. Arizona’s two Democratic congressmen voted for it as did Republican David Schweikert. But other Republicans, such as Arizona’s Jeff Flake, don’t like that the tax cut isn’t paid for and comes from money that’s intended for the Social Security Trust Fund.

“Until we have the courage to reform the entitlement programs like Social Security we shouldn’t mess with the revenue stream," said Flake

The Grand Canyon National Park is renegotiating the terms of its contract with the current concessionaire, Xanterra.

Helping to shape that new contract will be the new Park Superintendent, David Uberuaga.

He was involved in writing contract regulations several years ago when he was Superintendent at Mt Rainier National Park in Washington.

And a recent investigative series by Seattle Times' investigative journalist and columnist Ron Judd has raised serious questions about some of Uberuaga's decisions.

Judd has worked at the Seattle Times for nearly 25 years, and he’s written a lot about Washington’s National Parks.

Relief is underway for northern Arizonans starved for foreign films and independent documentaries. The 18th annual Sedona Film Festival gets underway Saturday. And with it comes the opening of a new year round art movie venue, the Mary D. Fischer Theatre. Sedona Film Festival executive director Patrick Schweiss says he has big plans.

"We're going to show indy films 4 nights a week, we're going to host the National Theatre from London," he said. "We're going to show their simulcasts, we going to do symphony performances, and open it up to anyone who wants to rent the venue for a nice cultural event. Our goal is to have something happening in this theatre every night of the week."

A recent study shows that Native Americans who eat canned meat more than twice a week double their risk of developing diabetes.

Canned meat such as Spam is a big seller among rural shoppers, especially Native Americans.

“About 68 percent of American Indians in the study consumed processed meat twice a week,” says Amanda Frett says, an epidemiologist at the University of Washington.

Growing up on the Micmac Reservation, Fretts saw many relatives afflicted by diabetes.

Fifty percent of Native Americans nationwide develop diabetes by age 55.

Fretts says part of the problem is that many rural communities are far from grocery stores, so  people rely on foods with a long shelf life such as Spam.

 Today marks Arizona’s 100th anniversary of statehood. And throughout this centennial year KNAU will bring you stories of some of Arizona’s most notable events, places and characters. This morning, we start with Wyatt Earp. He became a legend in the late 1800’s after the infamous gunfight at the OK Corral in Tombstone. Since then, Earp has captivated the imaginations of people all over the world, including Hollywood filmmakers. Arizona Public Radio’s Gillian Ferris Kohl brings us the story of how Wyatt Earp secured Arizona’s place in silver screen history.

The character of Wyatt Earp has been portrayed by many A to Z list actors. Among the A-listers…Burt Lancaster in The Gunfight at the OK Corral. 

Flagstaff employer W.L. Gore & Associates  has lost a patent dispute that dates back to 1974.

On Friday, a federal appeals court upheld a lower court ruling against Gore that ordered the company to pay $371 million to C.R. Bard.

Bard makes catheters and claimed that Gore infringed on its patent for vascular grafts.

According to Bloomberg News, Bard claims that Gore now owes the firm $783 million in interest, royalties and fees.

The court upheld earlier findings that Gore intentionally infringed on Bard’s patent.

Gore makes medical products at its Flagstaff campus, where it employs nearly 2,000 people.